Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that the American citizen, Mansoor Ijaz, who played the central role in the Memogate scandal, could not be trusted, as he tried to destabilise Pakistan and defame its armed forces by twisting the facts and urged the US government to take action against him.
The Interior Minister expressed these views while talking to media after his visit to the National Crisis Cell, established in the Interior Ministry on Monday. During the visit, Malik also presided over a meeting to review the law and order situation and security arrangements for Muharram.
To a question, the Interior Minister said that Mansoor Ijaz had opened another Pandora's box by claiming that President Asif Ali Zardari and Hussain Haqqani already knew about the Abbottabad incident. He said that the May 2 operation by US seals had nothing to do with President Zardari and the US officials have refuted the statements made by Mansoor Ijaz.
About putting Husain Haqqani's name on the Exit Control List (ECL), Malik said that his name had not been placed on the list, as a paper work was underway. He said that the government would implement the decision of the Supreme Court in this regard.
Malik said that the legal branch of the interior ministry had been directed to collect evidence and in this regard, Interpol would also be approached for further investigation. He also suggested that Mansoor Ijaz should be prosecuted and action be taken against him, as all relevant record for the purpose had been sent to the legal branch of the interior ministry.
Malik said that PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif should also go to court against Mansoor Ijaz and also support action against him (Ijaz). About Pakistan's decision to boycott the Bonn conference, he said that after the Nato attacks, the Prime Minister took the decision of boycotting the moot keeping in view the country's interest and in accordance with the wishes of the nation.
About security arrangements for Muharram processions, the Minister said that security had been tightened in sensitive areas of all provinces and Gilgit Baltistan. He urged the Taliban to respect the month of Muharram and show restrain by not carrying out any anti-state activity.